The Green Parent

Materials 1 floral foam or green styrofoam cone (measuring 4-5 inches in diameter at the base and 12 inches high) NOTE: I know this isn’t very green, so please, please , please try to reuse an old piece of styrofoam or pick up a gently used piece at a thrift store) 1 box of toothpicks [...]

A little over a year ago, I was doing some research for The Green Parent and looking for great green ways for families to celebrate the holidays.  That’s when I ran across information about Corey Colwell-Lipson and her organization, Green Halloween.  The premise behind Green Halloween is not just to make Oct 31st a more [...]

Did you know that there are ONLY 86 days to Christmas, 82 days from Chanukah, and and 87 days to Kwanzaa? It’s time to get out there and shop, shop, shop before it’s too late! Or at least that’s what the big box stores would have you believe.  Every year the holiday merchandise hits the [...]

Labor Day Weekend, the last official hurrah of the summer season is finally upon us and Green Parents across the U.S. are gearing up for one final fling before the school year begins in earnest. Cooler weather, lower gas prices, and school-wary kids combine to make Labor Day weekend a truly great time to hang [...]

Tomorrow is July 4th and for most of us in the U.S., that means food, friends, and fireworks. Here’s how to make sure your red, white, and blue celebration is packed with green… Food Keep It Local: Serve locally grown and produced foods. If you host a potluck gathering, challenge your guests to bring a [...]

Father’s Day is right around the corner (Jun 15th). Need a gift that’s as perfect for dad as it is for the planet? Try out these eco-cool ideas to show dad how much you care. No Impact Gifts Save paper, stamps, and the planet, by sending dad a Father’s Day Ecard Give him a Charity [...]

If there is one rule in life that you should NEVER forget, it is this one: DON’T Forget Your Mother! Mother’s Day is May 11th. Show your mama she raised you right by giving her a gift that is as good for her as it is for Mother Earth. Need ideas? Check out these green [...]

This Friday (April 25th) most states across the U.S will celebrate Arbor Day…a holiday designed to honor, commemorate, and (most importantly) plant trees. It’s a great day to stop and smell the acorns and teach your kids why trees are worth hugging! Plant a seed with these kid-friendly Arbor Day ideas… ID A Tree: Do [...]

Easter is just around the corner and store shelves are overflowing with plastic trinkets, sugar laden bounty, and nasty chemicals dyes to help put you in the festive spirit. If you’re looking for something a bit greener this year, celebrate an Eco-Friendly Easter with these easy ideas: A Greener Easter Basket Reuse It: Don’t waste [...]

The first rule to celebrating St. Patrick’s Day is that you don’t have to be Irish to love the Irish. The second rule of the day is that you gotta go green…and the greener the better! So enjoy the luck of the Irish this year and celebrate an eco-friendly St. Patrick’s Day. Here’s how: Invites: [...]

Running short on time? It’s not too late to send your sweetie one of these fun and fabulous eco-savvy Valentine E-Cards. “Mating Season” E-cards from Oceana: Tell your beau that love is in the air with a mating season e-card from. Oceana is a non-profit group that campaigns to protect the world’s oceans and the [...]

Get out your address book, it’s time to send out your holiday greeting cards. If you are like most Americans, this is the one time of year where you send out cards to family and friends both near and far. In fact, Americans send out almost 3 billion greeting cards over the winter holidays (that’s [...]

Are you worried about your holiday gift list this year? With all of the news about global warming and environmental degradation, let alone sweatshop labor and toxic toys, what’s a Green Parent to do? Never fear, there are tons of gifts that you can give to show your spirit without selling your soul. Here, without [...]

I usually make it a rule in my house that we don’t talk, shop, or decorate for Christmas until the day after Thanksgiving. Any sooner than that and we risk an all-encompassing holiday burn-out. This year, however, I am making an exception, so that I can thoroughly research all of the eco-savvy new games/books/toys/and gizmos [...]

Nothing says “Happy Halloween” like a pumpkin. Whether it’s carved or painted, spooky or silly, a pumpkin is a tried and true symbol of the Halloween festivities. They are ridiculously versatile…you can use them as decorations, as side dishes, and even as inspiration for your costume. And growing pumpkins is even good for the environment. [...]